How to Build a Garden Bench

Make this attractive, comfortable garden bench. We show you how to build it with simple biscuit joinery.

Assemble this attractive, comfortable garden bench. We show you how to build it so it's strong and durable, using a simple biscuit joinery technique.

By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine:March 2012

Time

Weekend

Figure on two full days: about 4 hours to cut and prep the parts, about 8 hours for assembly, and about 4 hours for sanding and finishing.

Complexity

Moderate

The techniques are easy, but you'll need a table saw, plate joiner, router and clamps.

Cost

$100 - $500

Wood will run you about $100 depending upon species, plus another $40 for other materials.

Step-by-Step

Garden bench overview: Design, tools and materials

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Finished garden bench

The curved seat adds comfort and the angle braces strengthen the legs.

I built this bench four years ago. Since
then, it’s been used and abused as a
prop on photo shoots, and sat on and
commented on by staff and passersby.
The first thing they all notice is the
design—simple but handsome. Then, as
soon they sit down, they’re all surprised
by how comfortable it is.

Finally, everyone admires my amazing
woodworking skills. But the truth is, this
bench is just plain easy to build. I used
only biscuits and screws, the simplest
types of joinery. Still, the bench is surprisingly
strong. It’s been hauled around,
knocked around and used as a mini scaffold—and once it even fell out of a
moving pickup. But it’s still solid.

Round up the tools and materials
I spent about $95 for the lumber for this
bench. You may have to buy more
lumber to get knot-free pieces, so your
cost may vary. You’ll find everything you
need to build this bench at your local
home center or lumberyard. Refer to the
Materials List in Additional Information below, then choose the
lumber carefully to avoid large knots.

In addition to the lumber, screws and
wood plugs, you’ll need No. 20 wood biscuits
and a special tool called a plate or
biscuit joiner to cut the biscuit slots. You
can buy a good-quality biscuit joiner for
$100 to $170. You’ll also need some
clamps, a table saw and a router fitted
with a 1/4-in. round-over bit.

Figure A: Garden bench details

Figure A: Garden Bench Details

Overall Dimensions: 60" long, 16-1/2" wide, 16-3/4" tall

You can download and enlarge Figure A, including Part B and Part F Details, in “Additional Information” below. You can also download a complete Materials List and Cutting List in “Additional Information.”

Step 1: Cut out and drill the parts

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Photo 1: Drill plug recesses

Use a 1/2-in. Forstner bit to
drill recesses for the screws.
Later you'll fill them with
wood plugs to hide the
screws. You can easily
control the depth of the hole
by drilling until the top of the
cutter is flush with the
surface.

Start by inspecting your boards and planning the
cuts to take advantage of
the knot-free sections. Use
a table saw to rip the boards
to the right width. For crisp,
clean edges, rip about 1/4
in. from the edge of the boards before you rip them
to the final width. To work
around knots, you may have
to rough-cut some of the
boards to approximate
length before ripping them.
When you’re done ripping,
cut the parts to length. We
used a 1/4-in. round-over
bit and router to ease the
edges of the seat boards. It’s
a great task for a router
table setup if you have one.

Next, measure and mark
the center of all the screw
holes and drill 3/8-in.-deep
holes for the 1/2-in. wood
plugs. I used a Forstner bit
to create clean, flat-bottom
holes.

Step 2: Cut the biscuit slots

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Photo 2: Cut biscuit slots for the seat rails

Mark the centers of the
biscuit slots on masking
tape. Then, with the plug
recesses facing up, cut the
slots in the narrow sides of
the legs. Keep the plate
joiner and leg tight to the
bench top as you cut. Use
tape to avoid marks on the
wood and to keep track of
the orientation of the pieces.

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Photo 3: Position slots for the long rails

Orient the leg so the
previously cut slot is facing
up, and cut a slot on the side
opposite the plug holes. Use
a spacer to position the
slot so the long rail will be
centered on the leg when it's
installed.

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Photo 4: Cut slots in the rail ends

Mark the centers of the curved seat rails and long rails on masking tape. The tape also
helps you keep track of the orientation of the slots.

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Photo 5: Cut slots in the long rails

Position the long rails with the masking
tape facing down. Use a Speed Square as a
guide for cutting biscuit slots for the
intermediate rails. Align the square with the
edge mark for the seat rail. Make a center
mark on the square as a reference for lining
up the plate joiner.

The final step in preparing
the parts for assembly
is cutting the biscuit
slots. If you’ve read my previous
plate joiner story, you
know I’m a proponent of a
technique I call the bench
reference method. Rather
than use the adjustable fence
to position the slots, you
simply place your work-piece
and the base of the biscuit
joiner against the bench top
and cut the slot. To find the
story, type “biscuit
joints” in the search box above.

The only downside to this
method is that the slot isn’t
always centered on the part,
so you have to pay close
attention to orientation as
you cut the slots and assemble
the bench. You’ll see how
I use masking tape to keep
track of the orientation.
Photos 2 – 5 show the plate-joining
techniques I used to
cut slots in the parts.

Step 3: Assemble the garden bench with biscuits and screws

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Photo 6: Join the rails and legs with biscuits

Put a biscuit in the slot and dry-fit the leg
and seat rail to make sure the rail is
oriented correctly. It should be centered on
the leg. Then spread glue in the slots and on
the biscuit and press the leg and the seat
rail together.

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Photo 7: Complete the leg assembly

Use a spacer to support the lower rail. Then drive
screws through the legs into the rail.

3 of 5

Photo 8: Connect the seat rails with biscuits

Join the two long rails with the two intermediate seat
rails with biscuits and glue. Clamp them and let the glue
set about 30 minutes.

4 of 5

Photo 9: Join the leg and seat assemblies

Connect the leg assemblies to the seat assembly with biscuits and clamp them together. Then attach the brace with screws.

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Photo 10: Screw on the seat slats

Start by attaching the two
outside slats. Then center the middle
slat and attach it with screws. Next,
position the remaining slats so there’s
an even space (two biscuits wide)
between them. Use a board to align the
slat ends.

Photos 6 – 10 show the
assembly steps. Biscuits connect
the legs to the rails for
extra strength. Spread exterior
wood glue in the slots
and on the biscuits. Then
clamp the parts until the
glue sets. Use 2-1/2-in. deck
screws to attach the legs to
the braces (Photos 7 and 9). If
you aren’t using self-drilling
screws, drill pilot holes to
avoid splitting the parts.
Attach the top slats to the
frame with 1-5/8-in. deck
screws.

Step 4: Finish the garden bench

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Photo 11: Hide the screws with wood plugs

Glue flat-top wood plugs into the plug
recesses. Use a cutoff dowel or a small
block of wood to pound them flush.

I plugged the screw
holes with 1/2-in. flat-top
birch plugs, but if you own a
drill press, you can make
your own cedar plugs using a
1/2-in. plug cutter.

I finished the bench with
Cabot Australian Timber Oil.
This penetrating oil finish
leaves the wood looking natural,
but it has to be reapplied
every year. For a glossy,
more permanent finish, you
could use Sikkens Cetol SRD
or spar varnish.

Video: How to Make Wood Plugs

Jeff Gorton, an editor for The Family Handyman, will show you how to make wood plugs, for countersunk screws, match perfectly.

Tools & Materials List

Required Tools for this Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.

Hammer

Clamps

Tape measure

Biscuit joiner

Drill/driver, cordless

Drill bit set

Jigsaw

Router

Speed square

Table saw

You'll also need a 1/4-in. round-over router bit and a 1/2-in. Forstner bit.

Required Materials for this Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here's a list.